Honda to drop the AVN system in upcoming Mobilio

Honda India in a surprise turn of events has dropped some of the luxury features in the upcoming Mobilio MPV. The audio, video, navigation with touchscreen, also termed as ‘AVN’ is deleted along with the faux wood center panel, leatherette seat covers, LED scuff plates. The reverse camera is also ditched as the touchscreen goes off. Earlier, these features were supposed to be offered in the top-end variant of Honda Mobilio. 

If media reports are to be believed, Honda has made these changes based on the negative feedback from media and auto journalist who took part in Honda Mobilio media drive. It is reported that the touchscreen infotainment system has a low brightness while the navigation system was not working properly. The faux wood work imparts a cheap look and thus the manufacturer has decided not to carry this feature. Now as the touchscreen AVN system his shelved off, the automaker will use the 2-din stereo system from its siblings Amaze and Brio. 

However, the illuminated side steps, leatherette seat covers and wood panel can be purchased from the dealership as an accessory. The Mobilio which is scheduled to be launched on July 23, is already the talk of the town. The carmaker has commenced the booking with an upfront payment of Rs 51,000. The MPV made its Indian debut at the 2014 Delhi Auto Expo where it gathered a huge appreciation from the visitors. Mobilio is based on the Brio’s platform like the Amaze.  

Honda's reliability, 189mm ground clearance and Honda's 'Man Maximum Machine Minimum' philosophy is something to look forward in the Mobilio. Under the hood, the MPV is offered with 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol engine or 1.5-litre i-DTEC diesel engine. The diesel engine develops a power of 98bhp and 200Nm of torque while the petrol engine produces 117bhp and 145Nm of torque. Both the engines are offered with 5-speed manual transmission.